Sealester, a company based in La Ferté Bernard (Sarthe), offers a new sealing technique for flexible packaging. Clément Fourmaux, who founded the company in March 2020, has been working on the project for several years.
"Today, we are still developing our welding technology and are approaching industrialization tests (by the end of the year)." he explains.
The specificity of this technology is to allow a great flexibility in materials and formats. It is a thermal welding process, which is embedded in a robot system that allows the selection of all types of formats. This is particularly useful in the prototyping phase to correct functional defects. Sealester operates on stand-up pouches, doypack, berlingots, flowpack, etc.
« The system is programmable and allows welding and cutting to be carried out without going through the design and tooling phase. We gain in time, in reactivity, and in costs.»
The company acquired an industrial shaping machine on which is implemented the technology that will allow it to realize series from 1 to 10 000 copies. For the biggest series, Sealester will call upon industrial partners.
Two types of materials
Sealester operates on two typologies of materials developed with its suppliers and partners: composite materials made of paper to which are added a sealing face more or less barrier (varnish or polymer layer) according to the need for protection of the product; or polymer materials.
To ensure that the product is recyclable in the paper industry, the company must comply with paper/polymer ratios. For example, it can propose to the customer to replace the cap by a spout, while respecting the graphic charter of the product.
Although the company targets all markets, it is particularly successful in the hygiene and beauty sector.
Consulting activity in flexible packaging
At the same time, the company provides advice and support to companies wishing to develop flexible packaging.
"We bring the expertise we have developed through our sealing technology to our customers on innovation work in flexible packaging. This ranges from structural design to prototypes. We validate ergonomics, volumetrics, etc., and accompany customers through to mass production.»
